Control arrangement

• US 7,093,050 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Empir AB
• Original Assignee: Empir AB
• Inventors: Niklasson, Henrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Cottingham, John R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DALEY, CHRISTOPHER ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US10/035,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 710/300, 710/3, 710/105, 710/40, 710/305, 370/460
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4135 using bit-wise arbitration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN

Abstract

The network arrangement includes at least one common bus. An input member is connected to the common bus. An output member is connected to the common bus. The input member comprises at least one input contact defined with a unique identity. The output member comprises at least one output contact defined with a unique identity. The input member is adapted to receive an input signal through the at least one input contact. The output member is adapted to provide an output signal through the at least one output contact. The input member is arranged to generate an action signal transmitted over the buss from the input member to the output member. The action signal comprises an address corresponding to the unique identity of an output contact.

Claims

1. A network arrangement comprising:

at least one common bus,

an input member connected to said common bus associated with a processing node,

an output member connected to said common bus associated with said processing node,

said input member comprises at least one input contact defined with a unique identity,

said output member comprises at least one output contact defined with a unique identity,

said input member being adapted to receive an input signal through said at least one input contact,

said output member being adapted to provide an output signal through said at least one output contact,

wherein said input member is arranged to generate an action signal transmitted over said bus from said input member to said output member, said action signal comprising an address corresponding to said unique identity of an output contact

wherein said output member is arranged to monitor said common bus, and upon reception of a signal corresponding to a unique identity of one of its output terminals output a signal to said terminal.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said common bus is a CAN-bus.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said input member comprises a control unit, a bus controller, bus driver, memory unit and an input signal controller.

4. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein the controller unit consists of a microprocessor or other data processing arrangement.

5. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein said bus controller is a CAN-bus controller and the bus driver is a CAN-bus driver.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said output member comprises a control unit, a bus controller, bus driver, memory unit and an output signal controller.

7. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the controller unit consists of a microprocessor or other data processing arrangement.

8. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein said bus controller is a CAN-bus controller and the bus driver is a CAN-bus driver.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least one contact of the input member is so provided that they alter between an input and output contact state.

10. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein said input/output member comprises a number of input/output contacts and at least one of said input/output contacts is arranged as a common signal contact.

11. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein said common signal has different states, determining different states for said input contact.

12. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein each input contact is connected to a normally open or normally closed switch, which state is determined by programming a control unit.

13. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein said states of said input contact are determined to bistable or pulse.

14. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said at least one contact of output member is arranged such that it allows tuning a current limitation for said at least one output contact.

15. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said input and output members are connected to a common power supply line.

16. The arrangement of claim 15, wherein said common power supply line is arranged as a loop.

17. The arrangement of claim 15, wherein said common power supply line is connected to a power supply arrangement at each end.

18. The arrangement of claim 17, wherein said common power supply line is provided with an arrangement for detecting an excess-current.

19. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said common bus is used to communicate control commands and status messages between said input and output members.

20. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein input members are connected to switch and indicator groups, which are interconnected by means of a common signal line.

21. A method of controlling a plurality of controllable devices interconnected through at least one common signaling bus, the method comprising:

arranging at least one input member and at least one output member associated with a node, each input and output member having at least one input contact and at least one output contact and each contact having an unique identity and each input and output member communicating through said common bus,

arranging said input member to receive a control signal from at least one control arrangement connected to said input contact of said input member,

upon reception of said control signal generating an action signal comprising an address corresponding to an unique identity of said output contact connected to at least one of said controllable devices, and

providing said action signal on said common bus by said input member to be received by said output member connected to at least one of said controllable devices.